Children at St. Joe's this morning had fun making their own slime. It was then judged based on consistency, texture and elasticity.
For readers using The Batavian's app, click here to view the video on thebatavian.com.
Video: Le Roy Fire members discuss why they enjoy being volunteer firefighters.
Brandon Connolly was named Fireman of the Year by the Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department at the department's annual installation and awards banquet, held this year at Terry Hills.
Firematic officers for 2019 are: Tom Wood, chief (far right in top photo); Craig Johnson, 1st assistant chief (second from right); Josh Pfendler, captain and training officer; A.J. DeFelice, lieutenant; Jared Chick, lieutenant; Joe Orlando, safety officer.
The fire department created a new safety award this year, named in honor of longtime safety officer Joe Orlando. The first recipient is Christopher DeFelice. Photo: Craig Johnson, DeFelice, Orland, and Tom Wood.
Tim Hogle served as chief for three years. This year, Tom Wood returns to the chief's role and Hogle received a thank-you plaque.
To find out how you can become a member of your local volunteer fire department, visit ReadyGenesee.com.
A snow squall warning for Genesee County was issued at 7:18 a.m. and is effect until 8:15 a.m.
Dispatchers have received reports of multiple vehicles off the road in Pembroke, Alabama, Oakfield and Batavia, and town snow plow drivers are reporting whiteout conditions in Alabama.
The National Weather Service reports a dangerous snow squall has formed from Rochester to near Allegany State Park and is moving east at 45 mph.
There are wind gusts up to 30.
The weather service warns of poor visibility and dangerous, life-threatening travel conditions.
"Consider avoiding or delaying travel until the snow squall passes your location," the weather service advises."If you must travel, use extra caution and allow extra time. Rapid changes in visibility and slick road conditions may lead to accidents."
Elba may be ranked number one in the state now but it's not something they think much about, said Coach Tom Redband after Friday's home victory over Pembroke 46-45.
"It's a fun thing for the fans and it's a nice thing to read about but it's not something we talk about or, you know, fixate on," Redband said. "You know we want to be as good as we can in the end; whatever that might be. We don't get into whether we're number one state or winning sectionals or winning states.
"It's just the personality of the team because of their work ethic."
And winning is a whole team effort, Redband said. The best example this year is Wednesday's road win over Avon 60-33 with no player on the team hitting double digits in scoring.
"We ended up winning by 27," Redband said. "I think that's pretty rare. I can't remember the last time we lost by 27 when the top two scorers on the other team had five points. I think that's just a testament to the girls developing and being ready at all times no matter what they did last game. You know, the next girl up when somebody is not at their best or injured or we need a little boost."
Elba, a Class D team, is 15-0 on the season now and among the reasons it's ranked number one in the state is five of those wins came against Class B teams and all but one of those other wins against Class C teams. The team has scored at least 60 points 12 times.
Friday night's win -- which Elba almost let slip away -- was another example of distributed offense with Brynn Walczak scoring 12 points, Leah Bezon with 11, Lauryn Engle, 9, Taylor Augello, 6, and Maddie Muehlig, 5. Engle hit three of her four three-point attempts.
Here's how Redband breaks down his team:
"Leah Bezon has been on the team for four years now. She's only a sophomore. She keeps developing and she has a humongous upside. She's our captain.
"Brynn Walzcak has been on the team two, three years. Maddie Mulehig three years, Taylor Augello, it's her second year starting and she's really come on this year. She worked really hard in the offseason to develop her game.
"Maddie Howard who is a senior, she'll be back soon. She was injured a couple of weeks ago. She'll be back soon. She's a great, great assist person, very unselfish looking to defend and assist.
"Then we have shooters like Adriana Long and Dakota Brinkman and Lauryn Engle, who at any point could hit three or four threes in a game.
"Kelly Mickey is a ferocious defender and then Izzy Riner who can kind of do it all.
"We're really not a top-heavy team."
Leah Bezon
Taylor Augello
Maddie Muehlig
Maddie Muehlig
Taylor Augello
Leah Bezon
Brynn Walczak
A kitchen fire, reported as a structure fire, is reported at 62 S. Main St., Batavia.
It's a lower apartment. Occupants are evacuating.
City fire dispatched.
UPDATE 12:22 a.m.: Police officers on scene report heavy smoke showing.
UPDATE 12:24 a.m.: A first responder says flames are showing at the back of the structure.
UPDATE 12:26 a.m.: "Small kitchen fire. Looks like it's extending into the cabinets. Have water on it now," says a firefighter.
UPDATE 12:30 a.m.: Fire is out; checking for extensions. Fourth platoon is called to city fire headquarters.
UPDATE 12:46 a.m.: Fire command requests Red Cross to aid two adults and four children who live in the apartment.
Mobile App users, click here to view the video on thebatavian.com.
The unemployment rate in Genesee County for December was 4.1 percent, according to the New York Department of Labor, which is lower than the December 2017 rate of 5.3 percent.
The rate in November was 3.5 percent.
There are 1,000 more people in the labor force in Genesee County for December, at 30,100, compared to 29,100 a year ago.
Of those 30,100 people, 28,900 reported having jobs.
There are 1,200 people listed as unemployed. That's 300 fewer than a year ago.
There were 16,200 private sector, non-farm jobs reported in Genesee County for December, up 100 jobs from the previous December. Government jobs in the county fell from 5,800 to 5,700.
The unemployment rate for the GLOW region in December was reported at 4.2 percent, down from 5.6 percent a year ago.
The state's unemployment rate is 3.8 percent. The nation's is 3.7 percent.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today released the following statement:
“Congratulations to President Trump for having the courage to act by opening the federal government. Now it’s time for Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to put aside petty politics and work with the President to put an end to the crisis at our southern border."The fact is we cannot continue to sustain ourselves as a nation without having real
boardersborders and real immigration reform. The only way for this crisis to be resolved will be for all parties to engage in substantive negotiations over the next few weeks and reach a consensus on border security.”
Press release:
Officer of the Year Award – Deputy Sheriff Travis M. DeMuth
Deputy Sheriff Travis M. DeMuth has distinguished himself in the performance of service to the citizens of Genesee County during 2018. During this year, Deputy DeMuth has shown to be a reliable asset, he has maintained a consistent, positive attitude and has excelled in the performance of his duties. Specifically, during two incidents, Deputy DeMuth’s instincts, investigative skills and proactive attitude contributed to the arrest of a well-known drug trafficker from Rochester who was in possession of 154 individually packaged quantities of cocaine, heroin and marijuana. These were confiscated and never made it to the streets to be sold in our community. Additionally, during another incident, Deputy DeMuth’s calm demeanor, persistence, and decisive actions were instrumental in reviving an unresponsive victim and likely saved her life.
Deputy Sheriff Travis M. DeMuth has reflected great credit upon himself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office and most deserves to be named Officer of the Year.
Photo: Christopher DeMuth, Travis' father, Larissa Shaffer, sister, Avery Schaffer, niece, Rebecca DeMuth, stepmother, Margaret DeMuth, mother, Olivia Ahearn, girlfriend, Deputy Travis M. DeMuth, Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr., Undersheriff Bradley D. Mazur.
Distinguished Service Award – Confidential Secretary Carolyn A. Della Penna
Confidential Secretary Carolyn A. Della Penna has distinguished herself as a member of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. Carolyn continuously goes above and beyond to ensure that the operations of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office are accomplished in an efficient and professional manner. She is always available to take on additional tasks and assist members with complicated issues. Carolyn has a wealth of knowledge and is recognized as the "go to person" on operational procedures of the Sheriff’s Office and Genesee County. Her willingness to help others is truly appreciated by all the members of the Sheriff’s Office. Confidential Secretary Della Penna’s knowledge and attention to detail have proven to be a great asset to the Department and, through her work, has distinguished herself and brought great credit upon herself and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. Thank you for all you do.
Photo: Sheriff William Sheron; Confidential Secretary Carolyn Della Penna; her daughter, Sydney; her husband, Tom; and Undersheriff Bradley Mazur.
Longevity Awards:
Certificates of Appreciation
Commendations
Meritorious Awards
Bethany fire is responding to a fully involved truck fire, a pickup truck at 5426 Ellicott Street Road.
There was concern about the truck being close to a home, but the residents have the house closed up and no smoke is getting it. The structure does not seem to be threatened.
There was concern about power lines overhead but they don't seem to be involved.
UPDATE 10:26 a.m.: Route 63 is being closed in both directions.
UPDATE 11:45 a.m.: Route 63 is being shut down at Route 20. A first responder says, "until we get DOT out here to clear Route 63 we'll be out here all day." Another responder reports "visibility is getting bad."
UPDATE 12:03 p.m.: Plowing done, road reopened.
Press release:
The Downtown Batavia Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Barbara Dietrich as the B.I.D.'s new Executive Director.
Dietrich comes to the B.I.D. from an extensive background of marketing, event management, public relations, promotions and business startup skills. She was the president of Dietrich Consulting in Batavia starting in 1998. She consulted for a variety of businesses on marketing, advertising trends, promotions, sponsorship and events. She was the radio personality on Entercom Buffalo; News Radio 930 WBEN – “Easy Living with Barb Dietrich."
Dietrich was the sponsorship director of “The Great Pumpkin Farm ”Oink”toberfest, NYS BBQ Cook-off Competition in Clarence. During her time at Dietrich Consulting she was the director of Marketing and Development for the YWCA Genesee County, director of Marketing for Empire Tractor Inc., director of Marketing, Public Relations and Sponsorship for Rivera Theatre in North Tonawanda, and general manager for WNY Event Centre in Clarence.
Dietrich has volunteered for many organizations over the years, she was a board member as well as past chairperson for Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Batavia Business Advisory Board, Cornell Cooperative Extension Board, Genesee County Business Advisory Board for Tompkins/Bank of Castile and Junior Achievement.
“Most of my marketing/management career has been in the Buffalo area and I’m so happy to use those skills and experiences here in my own community," she said. "It’s an honor to be a part of the exciting growth of Batavia!”
Dietrich moved to Batavia from State College, Pa., with her husband, David Dietrich, more than 25 years ago. They have two children, Joe and Petra.
She said she is happy they chose Batavia as their home.
Dietrich is looking forward to joining the B.I.D. and working closely with the downtown businesses, volunteers, board members, the City of Batavia and its community. Her official start date will be Monday, Jan. 28. We warmly welcome her to the B.I.D.
Some potential buyer of the now-shuttered Alpina property in the Genesee Valley Ag Park is going to pick up an ultramodern dairy plant for a relative song, according to the man tasked with finding a buyer.
And it will sell soon, said Aaron Morgenstern, managing director of Harry Davis & Company, the firm handling the real estate listing.
"It's an opportunity that doesn't come along often," Morgenstern said. "I would expect we'll soon find a buyer. I'm 100-percent confident that it will be sold soon and I'll be surprised if it's July 4 and we're still talking about who will buy the plant."
Harry Davis & Company specializes in valuing dairy companies and handling dairy plant and operations sales. The company helped in the sale of the former Muller Quaker Dairy plant in Batavia when HP Hood acquired it from Dairy Farmers of America.
Alpina acquired the land and built the plant for $20 million in 2012. Over the next six years, Alpina invested another $50 million in buying more land in the ag park, adding equipment, including equipment for liquid yogurt production, and adding onto the facility in anticipation of increased production.
The fully automated plant will help the company that acquires it control labor costs; at full capacity, Morgenstern would expect the plant to employ about 100 people.
"Our goal is to find a new operator who will bring jobs back to the area and grow the facility to its full capacity," Morgenstern said.
Morgenstern said he couldn't disclose the asking price for the plant but said it's substantially less than the $70 million that Alpina invested.
"The value proposition is that this an opportunity for somebody not currently in New York State to get into one of the premier milk sheds in the United States," Morgenstern said. "Or it's an opportunity for somebody in New York to continue to capture this milk shed with a brand-new ultramodern facility."
Morgenstern said he's received about three dozen inquiries about the property from serious potential buyers since the plant went on the market last week.
In 2012, Alpina, based in Colombia, received $767,096 in tax incentives to build its first U.S. plant in Batavia. A large portion of those tax incentives was in the form of a PILOT -- Payment In Lieu Of Taxes -- in which Alpina paid a fee in exchange for reduced taxes on the increase in assessed value of the property. The amount of taxes due to the increase in assessed value graduates upward over the years, from zero percent the first year, to about 50 percent today.
The assessed value of the property $168,000 (commercial properties are assessed differently than residential properties to account for the depreciation of commercial buildings). CORRECTION: When looking at assessments, we only looked at one parcel. There is another parcel that Alpina owns with an assessed value of $4.2 million.
Jim Krencik, spokesman for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, said the GCEDC board has the option, under the PILOT agreement, to adjust the agreement, or even cancel the PILOT, to increase the tax bill to 100 percent of assessed value.
A potential pitfall of canceling the PILOT is that a new owner would not be eligible for a continued tax abatement. The board keeps the PILOT in place but adjusts the taxable amount, another company could get a new PILOT agreement. A canceled PILOT agreement potentially makes the property less marketable.
The Batavian contacted four of the five current GCEDC board members and all said they wanted to reserve comment on the status of the PILOT until they had more information.
The board doesn't meet again until February and the time period for making a decision about the future of the PILOT is February and March.
"As we move forward with the site, I’m keeping in mind that any decision regarding the PILOT is within a larger effort to continue to bring more capital investment and job growth at the Alpina site, the Ag Park and Genesee County," Krencik said.
If the amount of taxes due under the PILOT were adjusted, it wouldn't take effect until the tax years for municipalities and school districts, and if Morgenstern's prediction of a quick sale is correct, the issue would become moot.
When Muller Quaker sold its $200 million plant to DFA, DFA didn't immediately decide what to do with the plant and it sat vacant for more than a year. In that case, the GCEDC board adjusted the PILOT and DFA paid more than $655,000 in additional taxes to local governments in 2017. When HP Hood acquired the plant, the PILOT benefits were extended to Hood.
Press release:
Congressman Chris Collins (NY-27) today announced $2,800,426 in federal funding for the Community Action of Orleans and Genesee Inc. The grant was awarded through the Head Start Projects Program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which promotes school readiness of children under 5 from low-income families.
The Head Start program supports children in growth and development through a variety of services depending on the needs of the local community. Their programs are based in centers and schools, but also in child care centers and family care homes. Children gain access to early learning for school readiness, healthcare needs, and family well-being.
“Children are our future and this program ensures that the children of low-income families can get a jumpstart on their education before kindergarten,” Congressman Collins said. “This funding solidifies this program in our community for years to come.”
The Community Action of Orleans and Genesee is a nonprofit organization that has served Western New York for more than 40 years. This organization empowers and provides an opportunity for those who are not yet self-sufficient. They work with programs, like Head Start, to provide short and long term goals for children and their parents in the community.
The Head Start program has serviced more than a million children in every U.S. state and territory and continues to support 1,700 public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies that provide Head Start services.
Up the 14 inches of lake effect snow could fall on parts of Genesee County between 1 a.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
A winter storm warning has been issued.
The storm is most likely to hit west and south of Batavia, particularly Corfu.
In areas hit hardest by the storm, travel could be difficult.
Press release:
On Friday, Jan. 18, the JV and varsity boys basketball teams from Byron-Bergen and Elba faced off in their traditional “Battle of Route 262” games, but this year they had their sights set higher than just a victory on the basketball court. Much higher.
In response to two of their classmates receiving cancer diagnoses, the players wanted to raise money for organizations that have helped those individuals and their families. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester and Cure Childhood Cancer Association received equal shares of the evening’s donations.
“Games with Elba bring in a large local crowd,” said Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Roxanne Noeth. “We thought that it would be a good chance to raise money and awareness for the cause – and the crowd really was amazing.”
In the weeks leading up to the game, the Byron-Bergen boys’ basketball teams gathered donations from friends, family, and community members and organizations. But, the Bees weren’t the only ones on the fundraising offensive. Elba, a partner District with Byron-Bergen for several sports including soccer and gymnastics, also collected donations for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
“These students face off as opponents in basketball, but in another season they may be playing side-by-side,” said Elba Athletic Director Karen Cusmano. “The districts are less than 10 miles apart. We belong to a larger community and I’m proud that both teams are stepping up to support this important cause.”
The Elba players also joined the Byron-Bergen players in the half-court shot challenge sponsored by Jimmy Z’s of Brockport. Jimmy Z’s donated $20 for every half-court basket. The crowd exploded in applause as two Byron-Bergen players and one Elba player sunk the shot.
Both teams played hard with Elba’s JV and varsity teams edging out the bees. However, the biggest score of the evening was the $5,459 raised in support of the two charitable organizations. However, the final count still is not in.
Jimmy Z’s pledged to donate 20 percent of all sales from customers who mention Byron-Bergen’s fundraiser on Monday, Jan. 21, but due to inclement weather, the final fundraising effort is rescheduled to 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28.
In a tweet, the Ronald McDonald House responded to the fundraiser announcement, “Thank you so much! This is a big help for our families.”
Contact: Rich Hannan, Byron-Bergen athletic director (585) 494-1220, ext: 2003; Contact: Pat McGee Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. high School principal (585) 494-1220, ext: 2401.
“Our sports teams have a strong tradition of raising money for charitable organizations,” said Byron-Bergen Athletic Director Rich Hannan. “It’s an amazing accomplishment for high school students to organize fundraising on this scale, but it is also an amazing show of solidarity for their classmates and their families. It says, "We’ve got your back.’Once a Bee. Always a Bee.”
Pictured: (l-r) (back row) Corden Zimmerman, Varsity Coach Roxanne Noeth, Lucas Stucchio, Daren Barron, Jerrod Amesbury, Josh Hohn, Jonathan Hahn, Travis Lambert, Tony DiQuattro, Rick Hubbard, Kevin Smith, Alex Brumsted, Mitch Gonyea, Bryce Yockel, Chad Green, Nicholas Baubie, JV Coach Chris Chapman; (front row) Nicolas Walters, Joey Damick, Caleb Carlson, David Brumsted, Anthony Chapman, Gianni Ferrara, Ryan Muscarella, Alex Donnelly, Alex Heatherman.
Benjamin J. Bonarigo Sr., a City of Batavia attorney, has announced his candidacy for Batavia City Court Judge. A lifelong resident of Batavia, Bonarigo is seeking to be elected to the position being vacated at the end of 2019 by the retirement of the Hon. Robert J. Balbick, who reaches mandatory retirement age.
Bonarigo and his wife, Diane, a retired City of Batavia elementary school principal, have made the City their home, where they raised three children, two of whom continue to reside within the City with their families.
A 1975 graduate of Batavia High School, Bonarigo attended Genesee Community College, while working in his family’s restaurant, attaining an AS Degree in General Studies in 1977 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1979. He furthered his education by attaining his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School in 1982 and was admitted to the practice law in New York State in 1983.
During his practice, Bonarigo has acted as the attorney for: the City of Batavia, the Town of Batavia, the Village of Oakfield and the Village of Oakfield Central School District.
At the start of his career, Bonarigo worked in the Genesee County Public Defender’s Office where he worked part-time while at the same time establishing, over the next 37 years, a flourishing legal practice, which is now known as Bonarigo & McCutcheon. He has practiced in all areas of civil and criminal law all over Western New York and beyond.
While practicing law, Bonarigo has been very committed to his profession, having been appointed to the Appellate Division 4th Department Grievance Committee for six years, during which time he, along with others, sat to review the ethical behavior of attorneys from all over Western New York.
He was also appointed to the Independent Judicial Qualification Commission for the 8th Judicial District on which he participated in the review, and rating, of candidates for judicial offices in all of Western New York courts. He is a longtime member of the New York State Bar Association to which he was a delegate representing the attorneys of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties during State meetings.
He has been a member in good standing with the Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Bar associations, serving as president of the Genesee County Bar. During his tenure as president of the Bar Association, Bonarigo implemented an attorney-reading-with-students program in the elementary school in the Batavia City School District.
In addition to his commitment to the legal profession, Bonarigo has been highly involved in civic matters in the City of Batavia. He has been: a coach and been a member of the Board of Batavia Youth Football; a client tutor and member of the Board of Literacy Genesee/Orleans; a member of the Notre Dame High School Foundation Board; a member of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees; a member of the Board of the Holland Land Office Museum; and a Mock Trial judge for many years.
Bonarigo is currently a member of the Board of Trustees at Genesee Community College, having been appointed by the Governor in 2011. He, along with his co-board members have overseen a significant expansion of the campus facilities. He is also a member of the Twenty-Five Neediest Children’s Fund Inc., which financially assists students and families within the Batavia City School District.
For his civic efforts, Bonarigo was been inducted in 2011 to the Genesee Community College Hall of Fame; granted an honorary diploma from Notre Dame High School in 2010; and was recognized as a Friend of the ARC in 2013.
“With my breadth of professional experience, love and commitment for the City of Batavia, its residents, including my family, neighbors and friends, I feel that I am uniquely qualified and I am the best-suited candidate to be elected to the City Court bench," Bonarigo said.
"It will be with great pride, impartiality, humility, and compassion that I will sit daily making judgments that continue to better our community. I look forward to the challenges ahead in this election process and look forward in the next several months as I reconnect with old acquaintances and, making new ones, as I seek your support for this position.”
Today Durin Rogers, attorney and City of Batavia part-time judge, announced his candidacy for the full-time Judge of the Batavia City Court post that will become vacant at the end of this year. Judge Rogers would be running to replace current City Court Judge Robert Balbick, who will retire after reaching mandatory retirement age.
Judge Rogers has served as the part-time Batavia City Court judge for almost four years following his unanimous appointment by Batavia City Council in 2015.
“I am excited to officially announce I will be seeking the full-time Batavia City Court judgeship this coming November...," said Judge Rogers. “I made this decision because I sincerely believe that I have the qualifications, experience, and commitment to our community that the residents of the City of Batavia deserve.”
During his past four years on the bench, Judge Rogers has handled all types of cases within the court's jurisdiction including civil, criminal, small claims, housing code violations and even matters in the drug court and veteran's courts. He has championed effective service to the community including cochairing the Centralized Arraignment Part Program (CAP), a program designed to assist in the timely arraignment and representation of Defendants in criminal proceedings. He has spear-headed the efficient processing of housing code violations and established a protocol to effectively and timely deal with "zombie" properties neglected by non-local corporations and owners.
“Each of these responsibilities comes with difficult decisions that impact the lives of those before the Court and those in our community," Judge Rogers said. "A judge’s legal background and experience, commitment to the community, and character are essential to making fair and honest decisions while holding offenders accountable."
Judge Rogers has dedicated his almost 25-year legal career to public service, including volunteering with the Public Defender's Office and handling assigned counsel matters throughout the GLOW region in criminal and family courts. He has served as an attorney in the Genesee County Attorney's office since 1995, where he was lead prosecutor for juvenile delinquency proceedings for more than 20 years; and handled all types of matters within the office including domestic violence/family offense matters; abuse and neglect proceedings; and contractual negotiations for the Genesee County Public Radio system.
Judge Rogers has extensive experience in electronic evidence particularly in admission of social media. He has been a frequent speaker in this area across New York State.
“As more and more individuals integrate this form of electronic communication into their lives, my unique knowledge of this area of law will be of great value to the Batavia City Court Bench,” added Judge Rogers.
“It is with this background, having been a prosecutor, a defense attorney and now a judge, that I believe I have the unique qualifications and legal experience to understand and administer justice in the City of Batavia so that all residents of our community feel safe and are treated fairly… I will do so with integrity, respect and the temperament that a judge must have when hearing cases fairly, each day, every day,” Judge Rogers said.
Judge Rogers commitment and passion for public service extends beyond the court system. Over the years, Judge Rogers frequently volunteered his time and commitment to coach youth sports including baseball and basketball for more than 15 years. He assisted in bringing the "Youth Court" to Genesee County. He was a founding board member of Habitat for Humanity of Genesee County; a volunteer Budget Ambassador for the Batavia City Schools District; an appointed member of the Batavia City Youth Board; a member of the original Board of Ethics for the City of Batavia; and a member of the City of Batavia Police Facility Task Force.
Other volunteer activities included being an attorney for the Surrogate’s Decision-Making Committee (SDMC), and president of the Genesee County Bar Association (GCBA), during which time he collaborated with the Genesee Community College to bring a new program to Genesee County known as the “People’s Law Series,” a biannual symposium designed to educate and guide the public in topical areas of law.”
Judge Rogers lives with his wife, Paula, and their four children in the City of Batavia. His family has resided in Batavia for almost 18 years and are proud to call Batavia home. Rogers is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Law; and received his Juris Doctor legal degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio.
One suspect -- a man with a history of burglaries locally -- is in custody in a series of business break-ins in Batavia earlier this month and investigators believe another suspect is still at large.
Christopher T. Sprague, 25, of West Main Street, Batavia is charged with four counts of burglary.
Sprague is accused of participating in a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries at nine business locations on Ellicott Street, Jackson Street, Harvester Avenue, Swan Street, Center Street, Apollo Drive, and Liberty Street between Jan. 4 and Jan. 7.
A truck was stolen -- and later recovered -- at one of the locations.
Police say the suspects broke windows or kicked in doors to gain entry to most of the businesses. Items were taken at some businesses but not all.
Evidence was uncovered at each location that indicated the burglaries were all related and committed by the same suspects, said Det. Eric Hill in a news release.
Sprague was arrested in 2012 and convicted on burglary and attempted burglary charges. He was sentenced to three to six years in prison and released from custody in April 2016.
He was arrested in Batavia in May 2016, accused of breaking into a business on Treadeasy Avenue and stealing money.
Information isn't available at this time about the resolution of that 2016 case.
Sprague was arrested on the four burglary charges while in custody at the Genesee County Jail, where he was being held on an unrelated petit larceny charged and an alleged parole violation.
His parole on his 2012 conviction is scheduled to expire next month.
Hill said police are not releasing more information about the investigation at this time since there is the possibility of another suspect yet to be taken into custody.
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